Reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan is pouring blood, sweat, and tears into his latest preparations. With his title defense approaching, Choopan took to Instagram to show off a heavy t-bar row training session a little over two months from 2023 Mr. Olympia.
Praised for his consistency, Hadi Choopan never dipped below fourth place on the sport’s biggest stage. His striated conditioning and muscle density turned him into a monster in the Men’s Open. In 2022, ‘The Persian Wolf’ reached the pinnacle of his career when he knocked the former two-time champion Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay off the throne.
Last year in Las Vegas, Choopan had to defeat his teammate Derek Lunsford on his way to capturing gold. Given Lunsford’s upside and young age, many believe he has what it takes to defeat Choopan in November. Even former eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman has backed Lunsford to upset Choopan. And it’s not just ‘The King,’ as Samir Bannout also predicted Lunsford to come out on top in their next showdown.
In addition to this workout update, Choopan last sent warning shots to his competition in late July after demolishing a 1,102-pound hack squat. Instead of talking about his goals, Choopan has remained quiet in prep but continues to train with a renewed sense of intensity.
Hadi Choopan Showcases Immense Strength w/ T-Bar Rows 10 Weeks from 2023 Mr. Olympia
Find Choopan’s latest training session below where he repped t-bar rows and gradually reduced the weight.
“Work hard, be tough like a fool and fight like a wounded wolf to become a hero
🐺🪨🥷🏻💪🏿
@evogennutrition 👈👈👈👈my choice 🧬🧬🧬” Hadi Choopan posted.
Other veterans of the sport have been vocal about their respective frontrunners. Athletes rep Bob Cicherillo and Milos Sarcev have labeled Samson Dauda, the recent 2023 Arnold Classic winner, an immediate threat to Choopan’s title. Dauda has gone on record stating that if he brings his back up, he’ll have what it takes to defeat Choopan and Lunsford.
Nick Walker, on the other hand, doesn’t envision Hadi Choopan winning the Sandow again. Months ago, Walker stated that this year’s competition would come down to a battle between himself and Derek Lunsford. But when you ask Derek Lunsford, he doesn’t think “The Mutant” will be his main adversary, instead, he sees another rematch with his teammate Choopan taking place.
Meanwhile, top-tier bodybuilder William Bonac believes that Choopan will handily retain his Olympia crown when the dust settles. He added that if Nick Walker displays more quad sweep on the big stage, he has a shot of moving up in placings.
RELATED: Ronnie Coleman Reacts to Reigning Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan’s Craziest Lifts
The upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia competition is scheduled for November 2-5, in Orlando, Florida. Considering how unpredictable the show was last year, fans expect another exciting outcome when the curtains close in the coming months.
Published: 25 August, 2023 | 11:03 AM EDT
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